Jurassic World – Movie Review

Jurassic World tends to skim the last two films and continues its own timeline by assuming that the Park was a success despite of the events of the first film. And the vast distinction is it manages to innovate what else behind this universe. We get to see more dinosaur species and what they’re capable of, we’re hooked on a particular mystery, we explore the history of the characters, and some tense moments that are perfect enough for a nerve- wracking thriller. The story is kind of strung with a lot of ideas and subplots. Still, Jurassic World is a fun time at the movies.

Finally opening up to the public, the Jurassic World theme park is now a resort destination for people all around the globe. Founder John Hammond (who was played by the late Richard Attenborough in the original) has passed on and left it to Mr. Masrani (played by Irrfan Kahn). With the help of his overambitious vice president (played by Bryce Dallas Howard) and Dr. Henry Wu (played by BD Wong reprising his role), they have created a new genetic hybrid to excite the general public again. Of course, things go wrong. Don’t worry…Chris Pratt is there to save the day and he’ll figure everything out just by looking at the dinosaurs.

There are so much characters to focus on: we see the company trying to make a daring new exhibit for the park, then there’s a sideline about Claire’s two nephews wandering around the theme park, then it somehow centers a raptor trainer who happens to be the main hero of the entirety, and finally, we meet an oppressed security force leader who wants to use the raptors as soldiers/weapons. It’s scattered around, but the movie knows how make them feel consistent. Some of them aren’t too compelling enough, like the human villain who has an intriguing introduction, but ends up being a caricature. The two young brothers seem to have an interesting characterization, but they’re stuck being some of the victims who run away from one disaster to another.

Just about the last hour and a half is packed wall-to-wall with non- stop action, as the characters run, duck, hide, chase, rinse and repeat in order to save their own and prevent a bigger calamity from shutting down the park forever. Trevorrow lacks Spielberg’s gift for creating and sustaining tension, but in place of iconic moments like the ripples in the glass of water on the dashboard or the velociraptors opening a kitchen door, he simply keeps the action going and going, pausing only to a) let in a kicker and/or b) pay tribute to his predecessors. That said, it is to us also the reason why this entry pales in comparison to Spielberg’s original, which was a quintessential masterpiece in choreographed suspense.

Rightfully, Trevorrow shows the utmost respect for the establishing blocks of the franchise. Although the theme park has undergone a major makeover with snazzy new attractions like a dinosaur petting zoo, an amphitheater featuring a monosaurus feeding show and face- to-face safari-like dino excursions in a circular self-powered vehicle called a gyro-sphere, there are constant nods to the original movie.

Back in the day, the Steven Spielberg original was the very definition of blockbuster entertainment, especially in how it so seamlessly fused CGI with animatronics to create awe-inspiring renditions of the beasts that once walked our earth. And of course, it is probably too much to ask that ‘Jurassic World’ has that same effect on us, but it is also the only entry thus far to come close to replicating that experience. Overall…